Varchetta Manuel, Tagliaferri Ginevra, Mari Emanuela, Quaglieri Alessandro, Cricenti Clarissa, Giannini Anna Maria, Martí-Vilar Manuel
Department de Psicologia Bàsica, Faculty of Psychology and Speech Therapy, Universitat de València, Av. Blasco Ibañez, 21, 46010 Valencia, Spain.
Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy.
Brain Sci. 2024 Oct 19;14(10):1037. doi: 10.3390/brainsci14101037.
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Internet addiction (IA) and related behaviors, such as Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and social media addiction (SMA), have gained increasing research attention. Studies show gender differences, with males more likely to develop gaming-related addictions and females more prone to social media and phubbing behaviors. This study aimed to explore gender differences in Internet addiction and related behaviors in a Spanish sample, with the goal of identifying predictors and gender-specific patterns of IA.
We conducted a cross-sectional study with 585 participants (265 male, 320 female) aged 18 to 35 years (M = 22.11, SD = 3.08). Data were collected using standardized questionnaires to assess IA, IGD, SMA, phubbing, Fear of Missing Out (FoMO), emotional dysregulation, personality traits, and prosociality. Correlation and regression analyses were used to identify gender-specific predictors of IA.
Males exhibited significantly higher scores for IA and IGD, while females showed higher scores for SMA and the "phone obsession" dimension of phubbing. No significant gender differences were found in the "communication disturbance" dimension of phubbing or in FoMO. Correlation analyses revealed significant associations between IA and psychological as well as technological variables. Gender-specific predictors of IA included social media engagement and emotional regulation for females, while gaming behaviors and communication patterns were more relevant for males.
These findings highlight gender differences in IA, suggesting that tailored interventions should address unique online behaviors and emotional regulation challenges in males and females. Future research should refine gender-specific patterns to develop more effective, targeted prevention and treatment strategies.
背景/目的：网络成瘾（IA）及相关行为，如游戏障碍（IGD）和社交媒体成瘾（SMA），已获得越来越多的研究关注。研究表明存在性别差异，男性更易出现与游戏相关的成瘾问题，而女性更容易出现社交媒体成瘾和低头族行为。本研究旨在探索西班牙样本中网络成瘾及相关行为的性别差异，以确定网络成瘾的预测因素和特定性别的模式。
我们对585名年龄在18至35岁（M = 22.11，SD = 3.08）的参与者（265名男性，320名女性）进行了一项横断面研究。使用标准化问卷收集数据，以评估网络成瘾、游戏障碍、社交媒体成瘾、低头族行为、错失恐惧（FoMO）、情绪失调、人格特质和亲社会行为。采用相关分析和回归分析来确定网络成瘾的特定性别预测因素。
男性在网络成瘾和游戏障碍方面的得分显著更高，而女性在社交媒体成瘾和低头族行为的“手机痴迷”维度上得分更高。在低头族行为的“沟通干扰”维度或错失恐惧方面未发现显著的性别差异。相关分析揭示了网络成瘾与心理变量和技术变量之间存在显著关联。网络成瘾的特定性别预测因素包括女性的社交媒体参与度和情绪调节能力，而游戏行为和沟通模式对男性更为相关。
这些发现凸显了网络成瘾中的性别差异，表明针对性的干预措施应解决男性和女性独特的在线行为及情绪调节挑战。未来的研究应完善特定性别的模式，以制定更有效、有针对性的预防和治疗策略。
